Your Mind on Music

Listening to music releases the chemicals dopamine and oxytocin in the brain, which makes people happier and has been shown to reduce pain by 21 percent and depression by 25 percent. Also, it can help people to problem solve more creatively. So how to harness this brain booster? If you’re an adult, you crave unpredictability in your music. Joshua Berrett, Ph.D., a professor of music history at Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, New York, and co-creator of musicandhappiness.com, recommends you choose your tunes to match your to-do list. Slower beats to calm down, a little faster tempo to improve spirits, and a quick tempo to get energized. For those who will listen, music can have a great affect on one’s life.YouBeauty, June, 2011